Solihull
Solihull shown within the West Midlands
Population	94,753 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SP1579
- London	113mi
Metropolitan borough	Solihull
Metropolitan county	West Midlands
Region	West Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOLIHULL
Postcode district	B90-B95
Dialling code	0121
Police	West Midlands
Fire	West Midlands
Ambulance	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Solihull
European Parliament	West Midlands
List of places: UK • England • West Midlands

Coordinates: 52°24′47″N 1°46′20″W / 52.412903, -1.772094 Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... UK Census 2001 logo A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the Midlands. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The B postcode area, also known as the Birmingham postcode area[2], covers the boroughs of Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell and parts of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire in England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... The West Midlands county The West Midlands Police is the police force covering the West Midlands county in England. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The West Midlands Fire Service is the statutory fire and rescue service responsible for fire protection, prevention, intervention and emergency rescue in the West Midlands county in England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands, and Worcestershire in the West Midlands region. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Solihull is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... . ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Solihull (IPA: [ˈsɒlɪˌhʌl], or [ˈsəʊlihʌl]) is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94,753.^[1] It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles (14.5 km) southeast of Birmingham city centre. It is the largest town in, and administrative centre of, the larger Metropolitan Borough of Solihull which itself has a population of 200,400. Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, in the English West Midlands. ... Birmingham (pron. ... The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. ... The figures are mid-year estimates for 2005 from the Office for National Statistics [1]. See also: List of towns and cities in England by population - List of English counties by population - List of ceremonial counties of England by population - List of English districts by area - List of English districts...

Solihull is one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands.^[2] Residents of Solihull and those born in the town are referred to as Silhillians. The motto of Solihull is Urbs in Rure (Town in the Country). This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Geography and administration

Due to its growth, Solihull was promoted from an Urban District to a municipal borough, the honour being bestowed by Princess Margaret. In the British Isles an urban district was a type of local government district which covered an urbanised area. ... A borough is a political division originally used in England. ... HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret (Margaret Rose Armstrong-Jones, née Windsor; (August 21, 1930—February 9, 2002) was a member of the British Royal Family, the second eldest daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and sister of the...

In 1964, Solihull became a county borough and on this occasion The Queen bestowed the honour. In 1974, the Solihull county borough was merged with the rural district surrounding Meriden to form the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. This also includes the districts known as Shirley, Knowle, Dorridge, Balsall Common, Castle Bromwich and Chelmsley Wood (North Solihull). At this time it also moved from the county of Warwickshire to the West Midlands. County borough was a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom to refer to a borough or a city independent of county administration. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Meriden is a village in the metropolitan borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, midway between Birmingham and Coventry, approximately 5 miles away from Birmingham International Airport. ... The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Castle Bromwich is a large village situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English West Midlands area. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced // or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ...

Solihull may be considered to be a dormitory town for Birmingham to which it is joined, although many Silhillians now work within the town and many commute daily to towns and cities outside the Birmingham conurbation. This article or section should be merged with Bedroom community A dormitory town is generally a rural town where a large proportion of its population commute to nearby cities. ... Birmingham (pron. ...

Wards

There are 17 wards in Solihull;^[3] Shirley West, Blythe, Shirley South, Meriden, Elmdon, Lyndon, Smith's Wood, Chelmsley Wood, Dorridge and Hockley Heath, Olton, St. Alphege, Shirley East, Silhill, Kingshurst and Fordbridge, Castle Bromwich, Knowle, and Bickenhill.^[4] Each ward is represented by three councillors at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, of which there are a total of 51 councillors.^[3] The mayor is elected by the Council and is currently Gary Allport of the Conservative Party, representing Shirley South.^[5] Meriden is a village in the metropolitan borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, midway between Birmingham and Coventry, approximately 5 miles away from Birmingham International Airport. ... Elmdon is also a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English West Midlands area. ... Lyndon is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. ... Smiths Wood is a district of Chelmsley Wood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in county of West Midlands. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Olton is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. ... Castle Bromwich is a large village situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English West Midlands area. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Map sources for Bickenhill at grid reference SP188822 Bickenhill is a village, civil parish and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ...

Council structure

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council run the services in Solihull through seven directorates: adult social services, community services, customer services, education and children's services, resources, and strategic services.^[3] At the annual meeting, the council appoints a leader of the council. The leader then appoints a cabinet which currently consists of eight members. An overview and scrutiny management board as well as five scrutiny boards have been set up by the council.^[3] Directorate is an agency headed by a director, usually a subdivision of a major government department. ...

History

Etymology

Solihull derived its name from a 'dirty or muddy' or soily hill which was given by passers-by at the time. The parish church was built on a hill of stiff red marl, which turned to sticky mud in wet weather. Marls are calcium carbonate or lime rich muds or mudstones which contain variable amounts of clays and calcite or aragonite. ...

Early history

The town has existed since medieval times when it was founded as a market centre, and it later became an important coaching stop. Solihull probably came into being about a thousand years ago as a clearing in the forest to which people would come to trade. The town is noted for its historic architecture, which includes examples of timber-framed Tudor style houses and shops. The historic Solihull School dates from 1560. The red sandstone Parish church of St. Alphege dates from a similar period and is a large and handsome example of classical British Church architecture, with a traditional spire making the Church visible from a great distance. It is located at the head of High Street, Solihull. It was founded in about 1220 by Hugh de Oddingsell. A chantry chapel was also founded there by Sir William de Oddingsell in 1277 and the upper chapel in St Alphege was built for a chantry. The priest lived and had his sacristy in a crypt chapel underneath, and the fireplace there can still be seen. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Stagecoach in Switzerland A stagecoach is a type of four-wheeled enclosed passenger and/or mail coach, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, widely used before the introduction of railway transport. ... The Tudor style, a term applied to the Perpendicular style, was originally that of the English architecture and decorative arts produced under the Tudor dynasty that ruled England from 1485 to 1603, characterized as an amalgam of Late Gothic style formalized by more concern for regularity and symmetry, with round... Solihull School is a British independent (public) day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. ... A parish church is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches. ... For the first Bishop of Winchester of this name, see Alphege the Bald Saint Alphege is the commonly used named for Ælfheah (954 - 19 April 1012), the Anglo-Saxon Bishop of Winchester and, later, Archbishop of Canterbury. ... This article is about building architecture. ...

20th century

St Alphege church, Solihull

Unlike nearby Birmingham, the Industrial Revolution largely passed Solihull by, and until the 20th century Solihull remained a small market town. World War II also nearly passed Solihull by. Neighbouring Coventry and Birmingham were severely damaged by repeated German bombing raids but apart from some attacks on what is now the Land Rover plant, the airport and the local railway lines, Solihull escaped largely intact. Download high resolution version (972x1296, 480 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (972x1296, 480 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Industrial Revolution was a major shift of technological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions that occurred in the late 18th century and early 19th century in some Western countries. ... The market town is a medieval phenomenon. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Coventry (disambiguation). ... Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ...

In 1901, the population of the town was just 7,500, however by the 1960s, the population had grown to over 100,000. This growth was due to a number of factors including a large slum clearance programme in Birmingham, the development of the Land Rover car plant, the expansion of what was then Elmdon Airport into Birmingham International Airport and, perhaps most significantly, the release of large tracts of land for housing development attracting inward migration of new residents from across the UK.

Until the early 1960s, the main high street remained much as it would have been in the late 19th century with several streets of Victorian terrace houses linking High Street with Warwick Road. The construction of the central shopping area known as Mell Square involved the demolition of a number of streets, together with that of the large Victorian Congregational Church that had stood on the corner of Union Street and Warwick Road. On the right along High Street from St Alphege's Church porch is one of town's oldest landmarks, The George, which dates from the 16th century. It is now called the Ramada Jarvis Hotel. On the opposite side of High Street is the Manor House which dates from about 1495. Manchester Town Hall is an example of Victorian architecture found in Manchester, UK. The Carson Mansion is an example of a Victorian home in Eureka, California, USA The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominantly in the Victorian era. ... A street of British terraced housing In architecture and city planning, a terrace, rowhouse, or townhouse (United States) is a style of housing since the late 18th century where identical individual houses are cojoined into rows. ... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ...

Education

Solihull School is the oldest school in Solihull and was founded in 1560. It is a fee-paying, independent / 'public' school and has recently become co-educational. It occupies a 50-acre site ^[6] in the centre of the town on the Warwick Road. It is notable for high academic and sporting standards. Also, it offers pupils a huge array of extra curricular activities. Solihull School is a British independent (public) day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. ... An independent school or private school in the United Kingdom is a school relying for all of its funding upon private sources. ...

St Martin's is an independent girls' school nearby which was founded during the world war by Miss Bull and Miss Tucker. Other schools in the Solihull area include Tudor Grange Grammar School, Langley School, St Alphege Junior School and Alderbrook School. Catholic schools include: St Augustine's Primary School and St Peter's RC Catholic Secondary School. Tudor Grange School was established in Solihull in the late 1950s, firstly as a Boys Grammar School. ... Langley School is one of sixteen secondary schools in the situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the UK. The school hosts over nine hundred students from the age of eleven to sixteen. ... St. ...

Although a large town of almost 100,000 inhabitants, Solihull has no university, but there are in fact five universities within 25km of the town; three in Birmingham and two in Coventry. However, Solihull College, formerly known as the Solihull College of Technology, offers several foundation degree and full degree courses, particularly in technical subject areas such as computer sciences and engineering. Solihull College, formerly known as the Solihull College of Technology, is a Further Education College located in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull which is part of the West Midlands conurbation in the United Kingdom. ...

There is also a sixth form college located on the outskirts of the town centre. This is known as the The Sixth Form College, Solihull and is where students, mainly between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, complete their secondary education. A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales or Northern Ireland where students aged 16 to 18 complete post-compulsary further education qualifications, such as A Levels. ... The Sixth Form College, Solihull is a college for students who want to further their education after the minimum school leaving age of 16. ... Secondary education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Solihull was the first council in the country to have their 'Wave 1' proposal of the Building Schools for the Future investment programme approved. They were awarded over £80 million to transform six schools in the north of the borough in December 2004. As a result of the funding, there will be six new schools constructed within seven years. The school curriculum will be redesigned as well as a further £6 million investment in managed ICT services. The six schools to be rebuilt are Park Hall, Smith's Wood, Archbishop Grimshaw, Lanchester Special School, and Forest Oak and Merstone special schools. Forest Oak and Merstone have been already rebuilt on one site. Lanchester, Park Hall and Smith's Wood will all be built by BAM PPP, under 'Private Finance Initiative'. Archbishop Grimshaw will also be built by BAM PPP under a traditional contract.^[7] Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the name of the UK Governments investment programme in secondary school buildings in England. ... The Private Finance Initiative specifies a method, developed initially by the United Kingdom government, to provide financial support for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) between the public and private sectors. ...

Transport

The Manor House, Solihull

A number of main roads pass through Solihull including the A41 Birmingham to Warwick road and the A34 Birmingham to Stratford road. The M42 and the M40 both pass through Solihull and provide very rapid links to Oxford and London and to the rest of the motorway network surrounding the West Midlands. Download high resolution version (1296x972, 363 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1296x972, 363 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The A41 is a major trunk road in England, United Kingdom that links London and Birkenhead. ... The A34 is a major road in England. ... This article is about the town in south Warwickshire. ... For other uses of the term M42, please see M42. ... The M40 motorway is a motorway in the English transport network that connects London to Birmingham. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the Midlands. ...

Solihull railway station is on the former Great Western Railway line from Birmingham Snow Hill station to London Marylebone station. In the first half of the 20th century, this railway line carried most of the express trains from the Midlands to the South West and South (Devon and Cornwall) Wales, including the Cambrian Coast Express pulled by the elegant and powerful Great Western Railway King Class and Castle Class locomotives. Other railway links are provided on the West Coast Main Line, as Birmingham International railway station lies within the borough's boundaries and offers frequent express connections to London. Express train services to Solihull are now run by Chiltern Railways and local services by Central Trains. Local people are represented by the Solihull and Leamington Rail Users Association. Solihull railway station serves the town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The station entrance Birmingham Snow Hill station is a railway station located in the centre of Birmingham, England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Marylebone station or London Marylebone station is a National Rail and London Underground station in central London. ... Express trains (also sometimes referred to as fast trains) are a form of rail service. ... Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... GWR Manor Class 7803 Barcote Manor at Dovey Junction with the up Cambrian Coast Express, complete with headboard, 1 August 1961. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The Great Western Railway 6000 Class or King is a class of steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. ... 5034 Corfe Castle fresh from Swindon Works, 1954. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The WCML running alongside the M1 motorway at Watford Gap in Northamptonshire A Virgin Pendolino and freight train on the WCML The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England. ... Chiltern Railways is a train operating company in England. ... Central Trains rolling stock at Liverpool Lime Street railway station Central Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running local and long-distance services in central England. ...

The Grand Union Canal passes across Solihull, coming within a mile of the town centre and linking the town to the River Thames in London. The canal at Braunston The Grand Union Canal is a canal in England and part of the British canal system. ... This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Local bus services are provided largely by Travel West Midlands from their Acocks Green depot in south-east Birmingham. Travel West Midlands logo Travel West Midlands (formerly known as West Midlands Travel) is the largest bus operator in the West Midlands, including the cities of Birmingham, Coventry (trading as Travel Coventry) and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall. ... Acocks Green (also written Acocks Green) is an area and ward of south Birmingham, England. ...

Housing

Residential development in Solihull comprises a variety of housing types, but features a notable preponderance of large detached houses of four or more bedrooms. Many of the larger developments were constructed between 1950 and 1970. One of the earlier large scale developments centred around Beechwood Park Road and Stonor Park Road with new detached houses selling for £4,000 in 1952. Chelmsley Wood to the north of Solihull town centre is a large 1960s overspill estate for Birmingham, and is currently marketed under the name of "North Solihull". In the early to mid-1980s, the new Monkspath district constructed east of Shirley (and close to the M42 motorway) was the UK's single largest housing development of that decade. Detached housing is free-standing residential buildings, generally found in the suburbs of cities or rural areas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Monkspath district is a housing estate in Solihull, east of Shirley (and close to the M42 motorway) it was the UKs single largest housing development of the 1980s. ...

Industry and commerce

Solihull High Street

Solihull offers a variety of shopping facilities. It has a largely concrete 1960s-style shopping centre called Mell Square. In recent years, the town has undergone much development, and the High Street has been pedestrianised since 1994. On September 5, 2001, a large new shopping centre, Touchwood, was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. Download high resolution version (1296x972, 369 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1296x972, 369 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Touchwood is a shopping centre in Solihull, in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...

Solihull is the home of the four wheel drive car manufacturer Land Rover and a range of other major companies. Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ...

The National Exhibition Centre, commonly thought to be in Birmingham, is in the borough of Solihull, as is almost all of Birmingham International Airport. Atrium entrance 2 at the NEC The interior of a section of the atrium The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is the seventh largest exhibition centre in Europe, located in Solihull, near Birmingham, England. ... Birmingham (pron. ... Birmingham International Airport (IATA: BHX, ICAO: EGBB) is a major airport located 5. ...

A large and well known producer of Pewter figurines, The Tudor Mint Ltd. has recently relocated to Solihull but has been based in Birmingham since its founding. Pewter plate Pewter is a metal alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder consisting of 1-15 percent copper, acting as a hardener, with the addition of lead for the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. ... The Tudor Mint is a collectables designer and maker based in Shirley, Solihull and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Watson Group Ltd. ...

Communal facilities

Solihull has a number of parks including Malvern Park, Brueton Park, Tudor Grange Park and Shirley Park. The nearest parks to the town centre are Malvern and Brueton parks. They are interlinked and cover about 130 acres. Brueton Park used to be part of the grounds of Malvern Hall, which dates back to about 1690. It is home now to St Martin's School. Solihull has numerous leisure facilities including a public swimming pool on the edge of Tudor Grange Park. This pool replaced an outdoor pool in Tudor Grange Park which was demolished in the 1960s. The current pool is now being replaced by a new leisure centre. At present there are two sports centres, the more modern Tudor Grange sports centre, and the older Norman Green sports centre, formerly known as the Norman Green Athletics Centre. There is also an outdoor wooden skateboarding and in-line skating facility in Tudor Grange Park. Sailing takes place on Olton Reservoir. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Olton Reservoir, or Olton Mere, is a canal feeder reservoir in the Olton ditrict of Solihull, England. ...

The borough is well served by numerous youth groups, both from the statutory and voluntary sector. One of the largest is 4th Knowle Sea Scout Group, based in the south of Solihull. The Group is sponsored by the Royal Navy and provides a wide programme of activities for young people from all over Solihull aged from 6 to 18. The recently refurbished ice rink on Hobs Moat Road is home to Solihull's ice hockey teams the Solihull Barons, Solihull Vikings, a Junior ice hockey team, the Mohawks ice racing club, as well as ice dance and figure skating clubs. Above the ice rink is Rileys snooker club. This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... League: EPIHL Founded: 2005 Home Ice: Hobs Moat Road Rink Capacity: 1131 Ice Size: 185ft x 90ft City: Solihull, United Kingdom Colours: Red, White, and Black Head Coach: Dave Graham Ownership: Unknown The Solihull Barons were formed in 2005 although they are named after the Solihull Barons who played in...

The River Blythe, a headwater tributary of the River Trent, passes through parts of Solihull including Malvern and Johnathon Parks. The Blythe is a river in the English Midlands. ... For other uses see Trent River. ...

Entertainment

Pubs and restaurants in Solihull town centre include: The White Swan (Wetherspoons), The Masons Arms, The Barley Mow, The Saddlers Arms, The Coach House, The Field House, The George and Bar Censsa. Other eateries include Après, TGI Fridays, Must, Nando's, La Tasca, Zizzi, Pizza Hut, Harry Ramsden's (now closed down), Jimmy Spices and. Solihull town centre has two clubs, both located on the High Street, called Reflex @ The Loft (however, most people refer to it as Rosies which was its previous name), and The Opal Lounge. The Moon Under Water in Hounslow J. D. Wetherspoon plc (LSE: JDW) (commonly referred to as Wetherspoons or spoons) is a British pub chain founded by Tim Martin. ... A sign at a T.G.I. Fridays franchise in Pensacola, Florida. ... The Nandos logo. ... Pizza Hut Inc. ...

Local football sides, Solihull Borough F.C. and Moor Green F.C. merged to become Solihull Moors F.C. Official crest Solihull Borough are an English football team from Solihull, currently playing in the Southern League Division One Midlands. ... Moor Green F.C. are a non-league association football team temporarily based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England, currently playing in the Conference North. ... Solihull Moors F.C. is an English football club, founded in 2007 by the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough. ...

Suburbs

Solihull town has several suburbs including Blossomfield, Solihull Lodge, Haslucks Green, Sharmans Cross, Shirley (considered a sub-town of Solihull), Shirley Heath, Hillfield, Monkspath, Widney Manor, Olton, Lode Heath and World's End.

Solihull Borough includes several satellite towns and villages including Chelmsley Wood, Cheswick Green, Dorridge, Knowle, Balsall Common, Meriden, Hampton in Arden, Hockley Heath, Eastcote, Barston, Bickenhill and Catherine-de-Barnes. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cheswick Green is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. ... Dorridge is a village in the West Midlands borough of Solihull, England. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... There are several places called Meriden: Meriden, Connecticut, United States Meriden, West Midlands, England This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Hampton-in-Arden is a small village located within the borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands of England. ... Hockley Heath is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England. ... Eastcote is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon. ... Map sources for Barston at grid reference SP207780 Barston is a village and civil parish in Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom. ... Map sources for Bickenhill at grid reference SP188822 Bickenhill is a village, civil parish and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation. ... Map sources for Catherine-de-Barnes at grid reference SP179803 Catherine-de-Barnes (known to locals as Catney) is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. ...

Twin towns

Solihull is twinned with:

• Cholet, France
• Main-Taunus-Kreis, Germany.

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Cholet (probably from Latin cauletum, cabbage)is a town in western France, capital of an arrondissement in the département of Maine-et-Loir, Pays de la Loire région, 41 miles south-east of Nantes. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Main-Taunus is a Kreis (district) in the middle of Hesse, Germany. ...

Notable residents

This list includes notable persons having been born, or lived, or currently live within Solihull.

• Karren Brady, the managing director of Birmingham City Football Club
• Steve Bruce, Birmingham City F.C. manager
• Michael Buerk, BBC News Reader, born and grew up in Solihull
• Martin John Callanan born and grew up in Solihull
• Jasper Carrott (Comedian formerly known as Robert Davis)
• Lucy Davis from The Office (daughter of Jasper Carrott)
• Paddy Doyle
• Tommy Godwin, cyclist, twice Olympic medallist in 1948 and President of Solihull Cycling Club
• Richard Hammond, BBC presenter of Top Gear
• Dave Hill (Slade's Guitarist)
• Rupert Hill (Jamie Baldwin) in Coronation Street was born and grew up in Solihull
• Joanne Malin (Central News)
• Don Maclean
• Lizo Mzimba from CBBC's Newsround, attended Solihull Boy's School
• Ritchie Neville from pop band Five
• Mandy Rice-Davies, famed for her role in the Profumo affair, attended Sharman's Cross junior school in Solihull
• Malcolm Stent, playwright and entertainer

Musical groups which were formed in or by a member from Solihull include: Karren Brady (born April 1969) is a British broadcasting and sport business manager. ... Stephen Roger Bruce (born December 31, 1960, in Corbridge, near Hexham in England) is a British football manager currently in charge of Birmingham City. ... Birmingham City Football Club are an English football club based in Birmingham, in the heart of the West Midlands. ... Michael Duncan Buerk (born 18 February 1946) is a BBC journalist and newsreader, most famous for his reporting of the Ethiopian famine on 23 October 1984, which inspired the Band Aid charity record. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Martin John Callanan (b. ... Jasper Carrott OBE (born Robert Davis, March 14, 1945) is an English comedian (declaring himself world famous in Birmingham). // Born in Acocks Green, Birmingham, he was educated at Moseley Grammar School and later attended Aston University in the heart of Birmingham. ... Lucy Davis (born 2 January 1973) is an English actress. ... The Office is the title of multiple television situation comedy shows created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. ... This article needs cleanup. ... For the US science fiction writer, see Tom Godwin; for the English bishop (1517-1590), see Thomas Godwin. ... Richard Mark Hammond (born December 19, 1969 in Birmingham), nicknamed Hamster, is an English television and radio presenter best known for co-presenting the television programme Top Gear along with James May and Jeremy Clarkson from 2002 onwards, and co-hosting the live annual motoring show, MPH, in Earls Court... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Dave Hill (born David John Hill, 4 April 1946, in Fleet Castle, Devon, England) is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. ... Rupert Sinclair Hill (born 15th June 1978, Solihull) is an English actor known for several on-going roles in UK soap operas. ... Coronation Street is an award winning British soap opera. ... Joanne Malin is a very fit British television presenter who currently works for ITV Central on its flagship news programme Central Tonight in the West Midlands. ... This article is about the British regional broadcaster. ... Don MacLean is a British comedian, born 11th March, 1944, who hosted BBC television series Crackerjack with Michael Aspel, Peter Glaze, and Jan Hunt in the 1970s. ... Lizo Mzimba is a British journalist and television personality, best known as the geeky assistant presenter of BBC childrens news programme Newsround. ... Richard Neville Dobson also known as Ritchie Neville was born on 23 August 1979, in Solihull, West Midlands, UK to musical parents. ... Mandy Rice-Davies, born October 1, 1944, is famous mainly for her minor role in the Profumo affair which discredited the Conservative government of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963. ... John Dennis Profumo, CBE (January 30, 1915 – March 10, 2006), often called Jack Profumo, was a British politician and the central figure in the Profumo Affair of 1963, which caused severe damage to the Conservative government of Harold Macmillan and is held to have contributed to its defeat the following... Malcolm Stent is an actor, musical performer and playwright who lives in Solihull. ...

• Ocean Colour Scene, a 1990s rock band
• The Applejacks, a 1960s pop group
• Five, a 1990s boy band

Ocean Colour Scene (often abbreviated to OCS) are an English rock band from Birmingham. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Musical group led by guitarist Dave Appell that played primarily instrumental rock and roll during the 50s. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Five (originally spelled 5ive) are a British boy band that was put together in early 1997 by the same team who formed the Spice Girls. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

References

External links

• Solihull links at the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org)
• Solihull Council
• Solihull Observer A local Solihull Newspaper